U.S. patent number 7,091,430 [Application Number 11/293,290] was granted by the patent office on 2006-08-15 for jog switch.
This patent grant is currently assigned to SMK Corporation. Invention is credited to Toshio Haizima, Yutaka Kuramitsu, Kenichi Miwa.
United States Patent |
7,091,430 |
Haizima , et al. |
August 15, 2006 |
Jog switch
Abstract
A jog switch by which a desired position can be confirmed
without releasing the finger rotating a jog dial after the desired
direction and angle are selected. The jog switch includes the jog
dial, which is capable of rotating in a plane and also rocking in
the orthogonal direction, a plurality of confirmation switches
disposed on a surface behind the jog dial and a jog action
detecting part, which is disposed behind the jog dial and can
detect the direction and angle of rotation, wherein the operation
of the jog dial is confirmed by pressing the confirmation switch by
rocking the jog dial.
Inventors: |
Haizima; Toshio (Shinagawa-ku,
JP), Kuramitsu; Yutaka (Shinagawa-ku, JP),
Miwa; Kenichi (Shinagawa-ku, JP) |
Assignee: |
SMK Corporation (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
36754235 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/293,290 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2005 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2005 [JP] |
|
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2005-147223 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
200/6A; 200/4;
200/5R |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
3/0338 (20130101); G06F 3/0362 (20130101); H01H
25/041 (20130101); H01H 2025/043 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01H
25/04 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;200/4,5R,6A,14,17R,18
;341/22,35 ;345/156,157,160,161,168,169,184 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Friedhofer; Michael A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Darby & Darby
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A jog switch comprising: a jog dial rotatable in a plane and
rockable in a direction orthogonal to the plane of rotation; a
plurality of confirmation switches disposed on a surface under the
jog dial; and a jog action detector disposed under said jog dial
for detecting a direction and angle of rotation of said jog dial,
wherein an operation of the jog dial is confirmed by pressing said
confirmation switches by rocking said jog dial.
2. The jog switch of claim 1 further comprising a center switch
surrounded by said jog dial.
3. The jog switch of claim 1 further comprising a rotation
projection on the back of the jog dial, the rotation projection
including a plurality of projecting plates formed in a circle,
wherein the jog action detector includes a toggle switchable by a
passing of a plate of the rotation projection.
4. The jog switch of claim 1 wherein the jog action detector is
optical.
5. The jog switch of claim 1 wherein the jog dial is supported by
silicon rubber.
6. A method of using a jog switch comprising the steps of: rotating
a jog dial in one of a clockwise or counterclockwise direction
whereby the rotation results in scrolling through a list of
operations; and rocking said jog dial for selecting a desired
operation.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the rotation of the jog dial is
executed around a center switch.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the rocking is accompanied by a
clicking of the jog dial.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein the rotating is accompanied by a
clicking of the jog dial.
Description
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119
to Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-147223 filed on May 19,
2005. The content of the application is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a jog switch with a cursor switch,
and in more detail, to a jog switch in which selection by the jog
switch may be confirmed by a switch with a cursor function.
Jog switches conventionally emit pulse signals according to the
rotation of the rotor by rotating a jog dial, and the switching
action is carried out by detecting the rotary angle from the pulse
signals.
A conventional jog switch 100 shown in FIG. 5 is composed of a jog
dial 101 implemented on a printed board PCB, and is rotatably
mounted to the printed board. Further, behind the jog dial 101 on
the printed board, a jog action detector 102 which can detect the
direction and angle of rotation is disposed.
Still further, an opening 103 is disposed in the center of the jog
dial 101 in a doughnut shape and a push type center switch 104 is
disposed in the opening. The push type center switch 104 includes a
switch part 104a, which is implemented on the printed board PCB,
right under the opening 103, and a push button part 104b, which
activates the switch part 104a and is located on top of the switch
part 104a that is in the opening 103.
In the conventional jog switch 100 composed as described above, the
jog action detector 102 detects the rotating direction and angle
and outputs this information as pulse signals upon rotating the jog
dial 101.
The predetermined operation with the jog dial 101 is finished when,
for example, a cursor on a display reaches to a desired position
being moved by the pulse signals generated from the direction and
angle of rotation of the jog dial 102 by the rotation of the jog
dial 102, and then the operator presses the center switch 104
confirming the indication by the jog dial 101 to execute the
operation of the jog dial 101. Of course, other actions executed by
the jog dial 101 to confirm the position and the like may be
executed using switches other than the center switch 104 (not
shown).
However, in using the jog switch 100 shown in the conventional
example, it is necessary to release the finger rotating the jog
dial 101 to operate the center switch or other switch (not shown)
or the like, when the operation of the jog dial 101 is finished.
Thus, in a operation which requires precision of rotating action of
the jog dial 101, there has been a problem of deviating from the
desired rotation of the jog dial 101 on releasing the finger from
the jog dial 101, and the execution of the predetermined operation
is impossible or difficult.
Further, at least the conventional jog switch 100 is required to
have a confirmation switch such as the center switch 104 and the
like, and there is a problem of needing an extra space for the
confirmation switch on the operation panel when implementing in a
small remote control device.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF TH INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to take the above mentioned
problems into consideration and provide a jog switch which can be
confirmed accurately and easily at the rotating position after the
jog dial is rotated to a desired amount, wherein there is no need
for disposing an extra switch and the like on the operation panel
of the device.
To make confirmation without releasing a finger from the jog dial
after the desired operation of the jog dial is completed, the
present invention provides a jog switch which includes a jog dial
which can rotate in a plane and also rock in a direction orthogonal
to the plane of rotation, a plurality of confirmation switches
disposed behind the jog dial, and a jog action detector which is
disposed under the jog dial and can detect the direction and angle
of rotation of the jog dial. The jog dial operation is confirmed by
pressing down the confirmation switch by rocking the jog dial.
Thus, in this jog switch, after rotating to the desired direction
and angle in the plane of rotation, the jog dial is rocked, and the
operator can rock the jog dial without releasing his finger from
the jog dial.
The rocked jog dial presses any of a plurality of the confirmation
switches disposed behind the jog dial, and the desired direction
and angle are confirmed by the operator's operation.
Thus, according to the present invention, after a desired direction
and angle are selected, the selection is confirmed by rocking the
jog dial, and therefore achieved is the specific merit of the
present invention that the desired direction and angle may be
confirmed surely without releasing the finger from the jog
dial.
Further, since the implementation of the jog switch negates the
need for a switch by which the operator confirms the desired
direction and angle selected by the jog switch and the need to
dispose a confirmation switch other than the jog switch, the space
in the operation panel on which the jog switch is to be disposed is
not needed, and thus achieved is the specific merit of the present
invention that the device using the jog switch may be made
smaller.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following
description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference numerals designate the same elements.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a remote control having the jog switch of
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the jog switch of the present
invention;
FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal section of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the display condition;
FIG. 5(a) shows an example of a conventional jog switch in a plan
view; and
FIG. 5(b) is a central longitudinal section of FIG. 5(a).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
A disc shaped jog dial is disposed in the jog switch. This jog dial
is mounted so that it is rotatable in a plane, that is, a plane
parallel to the printed board on which the jog switch is
implemented. Further, this jog dial is disposed so that it may be
rocked in a direction that is orthogonal to the plane of rotation
by pressure applied by the operator. This rocking plane is disposed
so that the jog dial may be rocked freely on the whole
circumference of the jog dial. The rocking motion of the jog dial
is accompanied with a clicking feeling and the jog dial returns to
the rotating plane by energizing force after the pressure is
relieved.
A plurality of confirmation switches, which are brought to ON
condition by the rocked jog dial, are disposed under the jog dial,
that is, on the face of the jog dial side of the printed board.
These confirmation switches are disposed on 8 sites in circle,
equidistance from the rotating shaft every 45 degrees in plan
view.
Further, a jog action detector, which can detect rotating angle and
rotating direction, is disposed on the printed board, under the jog
dial. The jog action detector is a switch which is rocked by comb
teeth shaped projections that are disposed in a circular formation
under the jog dial. The jog action detector may be rocked in two
directions corresponding to left or right rotation of the jog dial
and can detect these directions. The jog action detector can also
detect the rotating angle of the jog dial by repeating in a pulse
like manner ON/OFF, each time it is rocked by the comb teeth shaped
projections.
Still further the jog action detector may be an optical detector
wherein a striped pattern is placed in a circle on the area
opposite to the jog action detector on the back of the jog dial,
and the direction and the angle of the rotation are detected using
the reflection of the laser light emitted from the jog action
detector.
As shown in FIG. 1, a remote control 1 is equipped with the jog
switch 2 of the present invention, and in this embodiment the
remote control is for a TV capable of receiving satellite
broadcasts. The remote control 1 is equipped with a channel switch
which changes channels of the TV, a volume control switch and the
like, and various selections are made possible with jog switch
2.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the enlarged jog switch 2 and FIG. 3 is a
longitudinal section of FIG. 2. A jog dial 21 which is rotatable
both left and right is disposed in the jog switch 2. The jog dial
21 is a disc with a hole in the center shaped like a doughnut and
small dips are formed on the surface for a user's finger to catch
for facilitating rotation. The jog dial 21 is supported on the
remote control 1 by silicon rubber or the like, which is formed
like a cup so that the jog dial is rotatable to the left and the
right around the center hole and may be rocked.
Further, on the back of the jog dial 21, a rotation projection 23
is disposed on a circle which is co-axial with the rotating shaft.
The rotation projection 23 is composed of a multiplicity of plates
projecting toward the printed board PCB in predetermined equal
distance. In other words the rotation projection 23 is installed in
a projecting manner in equal gaps like dominos.
A jog action detector 22 is disposed on the printed board PCB
facing the back of the jog dial 21. The jog action detector 22 can
detect the rotating angle of the jog dial 21 by the rotation
projection 23.
The jog action detector 22 is made of a counter switch which is
capable of switching to the two rotatable directions of the jog
dial 21 and is composed so that the direction and angle of rotation
may be measured by the direction of switching and the number of
switches. Thus, when a plate of the rotation projection 23 is moved
toward the near side in FIG. 3, that is, when the jog dial 21 is
rotated clockwise in FIG. 2, then the toggle 22a of the jog action
detector is pushed down toward the near side and the rotation
switch 22b is switched according to the direction which the toggle
22a fell. After passing of the rotation projection 23, the toggle
22a returns to the original position, and then, when the next
rotation action indicator projection 23 pushes down the toggle 22a
again to the direction of the rotation, the rotation switch 22b is
switched according to the direction which the toggle fell and
counting is carried out. This counting is outputted by the jog
action detector 22 emitting merely pulse signals, and the
regulation part which is not shown in the drawings counts these
signals. Further, when the jog dial 21 is rotated toward the far
side, not toward the near side in FIG. 3 (in FIG. 2, counter
clockwise), the toggle 22a is composed to be pushed down toward the
far side, and the rotation switch 22b is switched according to the
direction of rotation, and the switching signal is outputted.
The jog dial 21 is composed in such a way that its outside circle
is clickable. That is, in FIG. 3, each of the outside circle, which
is shown in the left and right of the jog dial 21, may be tilted by
being pressed toward the printed board, and the tilting is
cancelled by relieving the pressure. The jog dial 21 is also
composed so that the click is felt when the pressure is applied for
tilting. The pressure for tilting may be applied in the whole
outside circle of the jog dial 21 when the predetermined condition
is brought about by rotating the jog dial 21.
Further, the switching projection 24 is implemented in a projecting
manner on the whole periphery of the outer circle on the back of
the jog dial 21 facing the printed board PCB. Confirmation switches
25 are disposed facing the switching projection 24 on the printed
board PCB every 45 degrees in a radial direction. The confirmation
switch 25 is a microswitch which is set ON by being pressed by the
switching projection 24. The confirmation switch 25 outputs a
confirmation signal by pressing any of the 8 switches, and any of
the 8 switches detect the confirmation action by the jog dial
21.
Thus, after rotating the jog dial 21 a desired amount, the jog dial
21 is pressed to a tilting position to confirm the rotated amount.
Specifically, the jog dial 21 is tilted by the pressure, the
switching projection 24 presses the confirmation switch 25 located
nearest the location of pressure to set ON, and the confirmation
switch 25 outputs the confirmation signal.
In this embodiment, the confirmation switch 25 is disposed in 8
places at every 45 degrees to detect the tilting of the jog dial
21, but it may be disposed in 4 places at every 90 degrees or 6
places in every 60 degrees or the like in an appropriate
manner.
The center switch 3 includes a center button 32 disposed in the
hole formed in the center of the jog dial 21, and the center switch
actuator 31, which is a microswitch, is disposed on the printed
board PCB facing the center button 32. Thus the center switch 3 can
output the ON signal by pressing the center button 32 and setting
ON the center switch actuator 31, which is a microswitch.
The jog switch 2 is connected electrically to the regulation part
of the remote control 1 on the printed board PCB, and the
information is confirmed by setting the confirmation switch ON by
tilting the jog dial 21, wherein the information is based on the
signal of the direction and the angle of rotation detected by the
jog action detector 22, for example, desired information shown on a
TV monitor as "OOO" in FIG. 4, which is selected by scrolling with
the rotation of the jog dial 21 toward the direction of the arrow
when the information appears.
In the embodiment described above, the amount of rotation and the
direction of rotation of the jog dial 21 are detected by the jog
action detector 22 disposed on the printed board PCB facing the jog
dial 21 and the rotation projection 23 disposed in the back of the
jog dial 21. However, other compositions may be possible to detect
the direction and the angle of rotation of the jog dial 21 such as
using an optical switch as the jog action detector wherein the jog
action detector 22 is composed of a light sensor and a slit like
black pattern disposed on the back of the jog dial 21 formed in a
circle, wherein the number of the slits over which the light sensor
passes with the rotation of the jog dial 21 is outputted.
Although the jog switch 2 is installed on the remote controller 1
in this embodiment, it may also be installed on a keyboard of a
personal computer, cellular telephone and the like.
Thus the jog switch of the present invention may be used not only
in the remote controller but also in cellular telephones, keyboards
and the like as an input device, and therefore it may be utilized
as switches for consumer electronics, automobile and the like to
move to the desired location and to confirm the location by
rotating motion.
Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that
the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that
various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one
skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of
the invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *